Sympathy
by kathy20121
Summary: They both wanted to protect someone with the same passion but through entirely different means... Gin's thoughts on Ichigo from his breaking into Hueco Mundo to their fight in KT. Implied GinRan and Ichihime.


**Fandom: **Bleach

**Characters: **Ichimaru Gin. Kurosaki Ichigo. Matsumoto Rangiku. Inoue Orihime.

**Pairings: **Gin&Rangiku. Implied Ichihime.

**Timeline: **Before Orihime being taken to Hueco Mundo to Gin's death in chapter 417. And a flashback of Gin's time as a captain before Aizen's treason.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach.

**Summary: **They both wanted to protect someone with the same passion but through entirely different means... Gin's thoughts on Ichigo breaking into Hueco Mundo, their similarities and differences, and his reasons not to tease Orihime.

**Author's Note: **I wrote something regarding Gin! I feel happy, he's, with Orihime, my favorite character in Bleach, but I find him so... difficult to put into words, I don't know, I thought I was never going to be able to write something about the guy, but here's my shot, I hope to hear what you guys think about it. This fic was born because thinking about Gin's personality and how he loves to toy with people, we never see him even thinking about going and teasing Orihime like we've seen him do before and here are MY theories on why, but remember this is canon mixed with especulation so don't take it seriously. I also like the whole interaction Ichigo and Gin had in KT and being as observant as he was I can't help to believe he found his actions interesting regarding risking so much to save/protect someone. Oh, the art of shipping, hehe. So, I hope you like this.

"_This will soon be a war, and in a war, there are hostages. She's the first one to be taken hostage. That's all"_

That's what Aizen-taichou had said while explaining his reasons for staging such an exaggerated distraction to kidnap that human girl.

"_Don't ya think it would be hella lot easier if ya kidnapped any of his other friends? In the heat of battle anything can happen and well… anyone can go missing." _

"_No, it has to be her. I have my reasons for it to be her" Aizen answered blatantly. Gin knew better as to keep pushing the subject. _

Later on would he find out that apparently the harmless little girl had powers that trespassed the realms of God. Go figure. But it was still a mystery as of why Aizen was so certain Kurosaki Ichigo would go looking for her. Sure when he had entered Soul Society causing such a commotion he had made clear he would go to certain extremes for a friend, but having had a taste of the arrancars powers and having been so easily defeated, even he should have some common sense and know which battles to fight and which not to.

Apparently, Kurosaki Ichigo wasn't a man of common sense, but one of raw power and raw feelings, so raw that the girl hadn't spend a day in Las Noches when he had already broken in accompanied by two other friends. It was obvious the Gotei 13 didn't care about some human girl been abducted. But entering Hueco Mundo was entirely different than Soul Society and things were not about to go as smoothly as they had gone back then.

The mood had become livid since the invasion. Freaks like Nnoitra and Grimmjow couldn't wait to get their hands on the invaders, Szayelaporro was off trying to find more guinea pigs, Ulquiorra had become responsible for the prisoner, and there was barely anyone left to tease. And it had been quite some time since he had really had fun teasing someone. Oh, he really missed Soul Society.

With no better idea in mind to get rid of his boredom, he headed for the corridor controls room. He figured that would mess with the invaders heads for a while. After some minutes he realized it wasn't as fun as actually doing some good old teasing, and so his mind landed on the perfect available person for the job: their new prisoner, Inoue Orihime.

He didn't know much about the girl besides her powers. He had caught a glimpse at her when he had stopped her and her friends from entering Sereitei, never would he have thought their paths would cross again.

He had never been a man of pitying anyone, much less someone he had barely seen twice in his life, but her fragile image and unstable reiatsu while standing in front of Aizen and the other arrancars was an image he couldn't get out of his head. And there was also that auburn hair swaying in her back, too much like… he sighed heavily, his mind had to stay clear if he were to achieve his goal. He had made it this far, he wasn't about to throw everything away due to desperation.

He finally arrived to his destination. Ulquiorra wasn't around, that would make the infiltration much easier and when he finds out, which he would, he could tease him about not being a good guardian; it would amuse him to get an expression out of the espada and much more to listen to his perfect, logical answers. He let out a chuckle before peaking through the door. An arrancar outfit had already been given to her, Aizen-taichou was really treating her like a princess with fitting attire and a bodyguard, still, he had said nothing about her being off boundaries.

It was odd. She was staring out the window, but besides the bright moon, there was nothing else there for her to see.

_Ichimaru Gin had never been one to be an obedient captain who'd turn in his work before deadlines. If he did, it was because his cute, little fukutaichou would do most of the job and he would just sign any paper given to him, but Izuru had had it and had forced him to do some paperwork for a change. It was a pain in the ass, but he had received a warning from soutaicho himself to hand in the paperwork he was due and as fun as it was when he started screaming, a vein made an appearance in his forehead and a tick in his left eye, he decided not to push his luck. _

_After been deprived of his entire afternoon and part of the night, his work for the day was about to finish when he realized a document was missing. He looked for it on Izuru's desk having being him the one to hand the documents over to him, but it was nowhere to be found. He checked the clock, 9 pm. Where would Izuru be a Thursday at 9 pm? There was only one possible answer: Matsumoto Rangiku and her drinking meetings._

_He had never been able to bear the idea of a bunch of drunken men hovering and trying to take advantage of the situation with the, hands down, most beautiful woman in Sereitei. It was frustrating, but he had decided long ago that distance and coldness was the best way to keep her safe. Aizen could never know the extent of his feelings. Never._

_He decided he would try his luck and headed for the tenth squad's barracks. He had never been before to the place she called home after parting ways all those years ago. He wandered around for some minutes, trying to find a loud room where the meeting could've been held, but to no avail. _

_Giving up, he decided to go back to division three until he saw her. She was staring out the window, a melancholic look in her eyes. She had to be very concentrated not to have noticed his presence. He looked up as well; there was nothing else to see but the bright, white moon. He got closer; he hadn't spoken to her in years, his coldness having pushed her further and further every day. It was killing him, but now with no obstacle around he kept on getting closer even if he received a very well deserved slap._

"_What's so interesting?" he said when he had gotten considerably close to hold a conversation. She looked at him startled. _

"_Gin" she had said with widened eyes. Her voice was as soft and sweet as he remembered. He smiled his first honest smile since he had entered the Gotei 13._

"_I thought ya held a party every Thursday… what's different today?" she was still wide eyed and she looked much younger, like the day they had established her birthday would be the day they had met. Tears began swelling her eyes. He really wasn't looking for that reaction._

"_The moon" she said between sobs. "It reminds me of the first night after you saved me. It's the same moon." Now it was his turn to be surprised. He remembered she had stood by the window a couple of minutes until he had told her it was too cold and that she should go to bed. She had smiled and complied._

"_That shouldn't be a reason to stop a party, eh?" She chuckled wiping her eyes. Once she was done, she stared at him, a kind of stare that hurt, that burned, especially now that he had made her cry, the very thing he had sworn he would stop. _

"_Why are you here?" She asked. He stared at her some more, but didn't answer. Two more tears rolled down her cheeks. "I know… I know that to you I'm nothing more than a silly little girl who's not worthy of walking right beside you or whatever…"_

"_Yer drunk, aren't ya?"_

"_What do you care? Just leave, like you've done all this time! Don't even care that I'm freezing!" He thought if she froze was her entire responsibility given that she was standing by the window with her cleavage on full exposure. Thinking that way reminded him of the old days, and then something clicked. _

_Being as impoverished as they were, there was only one thing they could do when they were freezing and he used to arrive to that conclusion when she said the sentence she had just said._

"_Well, fer starters, I do care that yer freezing and well… I'd like to help ya with that… just like when we were kids." She stared at him wide eyed again and then smiled._

"_You'd do that for me?" she said wiping her tears while her lips formed a small smile._

"_Sure."_

"_But… what if we get caught?" She asked afraid._

"_Have I ever gott'n caught?" she smiled reassured. _

That night had been the one to help him get through the following months, the following weeks, Aizen's plans and the thing that kept him grounded inside the boundaries until this day. He couldn't bring himself to tease her, not this girl.

He called it a day and returned to his room. Once there he fell on his back over the bed, which felt colder than usual. His head was spinning and converging in yet another point, Kurosaki Ichigo. What would he have done if the girl locked up in there was Rangiku?

He was starting to feel something similar to sympathy for the orange haired shinigami substitute.

…

The hot-headed sixth espada, Grimmjow Jaegerjacques had finally found his pray. The rumor had spread quickly and it seemed every occupation-less being was watching his fight with the Shinigami invader. After deeming the corridor manipulation as a total failure to restore his mood, he decided he would also go and enjoy the fight.

The first thing he noticed was that he had mastered hollowfication. Still, he was being completely overpowered by Grimmjow's resurrección form. The bastard wasn't just all talk about being powerful. It was a matter of minutes now before the fight was finished. Too bad for Aizen-taichou whose test subject would fall to an espada…

"Don't die, Kurosaki-kun!" No other sound was heard in that moment but the hybrid's elaborate breathing. The girl's next words weren't loud enough to be heard by the rest of spectators. The only thing he knew was that Ichigo somehow managed to catch Grimmjow's next attack and eventually finished him off. He figured he was pleased, he had overcome another obstacle on her way of saving her. He wondered how long it was going to last, especially with the blood thirsty freaks who were also watching and their soon parting for Karakura Town. This was going to be a sad story for the youngster. The exact same thing he hated. Oh, well…

…

Rangiku was hurt, very hurt. He was able to feel her obvious distress and Izuru's medical skills working on her and yet he had to smile. Grin and bear all for her.

_C'mon, Rangiku. Ya have to be strong, especially now that we're so close. It'll all be over soon so hang in there. Please._

…

When he finally crossed blades with Aizen-taichou's favorite hybrid, he could sense determination in his blade, power in his swing and fire in his eyes and that was when he understood one thing about Kurosaki Ichigo, he was a protector.

Gin was never someone to care about people. There had only been three people in his life that had been close to him and coincidentally he had planned to kill one of those people since the first time he saw him, so he really didn't know what it was like to want to protect your friends, but…

"_The fact that you're here means Inoue Orihime is safe. None of your friends has died either…"_

They both wanted to protect someone with the same passion but through entirely different means.

…

But he was still a kid, a very frightened kid. Kurosaki Ichigo was kneeled before him and it was a pathetic sight. He had nearly come to respect him after seeing his fight with Grimmjow in Hueco Mundo and apparently he had had other tough fights after that, but the guy in front of him was just a shadow of what he had seen.

"Ya should go." He looked up startled. "Ya don't want to die yet, do ya?"

He knew it from the beginning. No matter how strong everyone said this kid was, the only one to be able to kill Aizen was still him and that was an unbendable fact.

…

Rangiku's tears hit his face. It was hard to know he hadn't been able to keep his promise. She was crying, still crying, and it hurt… it hurt that after everything he did she was still hurting.

But at least… _I'm glad I said sorry…_

All of a sudden a stomp was heard. He opened his light blue eyes to see the person who had arrived: Kurosaki Ichigo, but he looked different.

_Have ya made a promise, Kurosaki Ichigo? Have y'ever promised something important to someone important? Never go to the grave without keeping that promise. _

_Yes, yer gaze has grown strong… Good… Now I can die… and leave the rest to you._


End file.
